


home is where you are

by captainhurricane



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Established Relationship, Kinda?, M/M, Other, nureyev is tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-27
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:14:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,246
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27234061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainhurricane/pseuds/captainhurricane
Summary: Nureyev needs his cuddles, so cuddles are what he's gonna get.
Relationships: Peter Nureyev/Juno Steel
Comments: 3
Kudos: 68





	home is where you are

**Author's Note:**

> i am very sleepy myself so this might have a gazillion mistakes
> 
> but i don't care i lov jupeter

There is still a ringing sound in Nureyev’s ears when their ragtag group of criminals and misfits return to their ship. The mission of this week had gone relatively well - considering how many fuck-ups had been in their way, how many screaming matches Juno and Vespa had gotten into and how Juno still gets those moods when Nureyev just can’t reach him. 

And whoever knows just how many more things. 

Peter Nureyev is many things himself, but even his plans run out, until only one is left. Sleeping. 

He and Juno have been dancing around each other for so long now: have tentatively tipped over an invisible line of something, and now spend more time sleeping in each other’s rooms together, than separately. Still Nureyev finds himself shying away from what he truly wants to say, and instead curls coy fingers around Juno’s. 

“Juno,” purrs Nureyev, makes sure to use that particular tone of voice that always makes Juno blink and blush from his cheeks to his ears. 

“We’re still - “ Juno starts, vaguely gesturing around them, but their group is already splitting: Rita is chattering, as usual, mile a minute to a stoic Jet, clearly dragging him away for another late-night marathon of something, Buddy has pulled her Vespa close and is murmuring something to her, running steady fingers through blindingly green hair. Vespa spares no glances towards them and Nureyev can’t blame her: Vespa’s mind is a chaotic place to be, and being surrounded by people like them certainly doesn’t help. 

It just leaves them, Peter Nureyev and Juno Steel, a thief and a detective, now a pair of career criminals. Nureyev smiles a real Peter Nureyev-smile and knows what the sight of his teeth does to his darling detective. Juno huffs, but he grabs Nureyev’s hand and gives him a tug. “Come on.” And Nureyev comes, squeezing at his love’s hand, admiring the red hue on Juno’s skin. They walk, they turn a corner and Nureyev takes his chance: he leans closer and kisses Juno’s ear, inhaling deep. 

Juno shivers visibly. “Fuck,” he says. “Nureyev, I’m - “ 

Nureyev hums. “I know, my dear. I am tired as well. It is merely because you always look like you need a kiss.” He knows his eyes are glimmering the way that pisses Juno off: the combo of his sharp teeth and sharper eyes is devastating. He knows. He’s practiced it in the mirror. 

Juno huffs again and shoves him, but doesn’t let go of Nureyev’s hand. “I’m fine. You’re cheesy.” 

“Only for you, my dear.” Nureyev winks for good measure. He laughs, and his heart soars at the sound of Juno’s sleepy chuckle, right next to him. 

  
  


They make their way through the ship to Juno’s room, the door hissing as it opens for them and closes for them. Nureyev kisses Juno’s hand and lets his lips linger, lips still curled into a little smile. “Shower together, my dear?” 

Juno, unguarded and almost sweet like this, shakes his head. “I’ll go first. I feel gross.” Despite that, he doesn’t look it. Tired, yes. Exhausted, yes. The weight of the universe still on his shoulders, yes. He is still the fire in Nureyev’s veins, this lovely determined lady, stubborn, frustrating, selfish and selfless in all the wrong places. He is it, he is where Nureyev burns - and does so willingly. 

“Juno,” Nureyev murmurs, softens his voice like he never does with anyone else. A yawn breaks out, makes his jaw crack. He takes off his glasses and rubs his eyes. 

A warm hand settles on his hair, fingers slipping through his strands. “Nureyev,” says Juno and steps closer to pull Nureyev against himself. Nureyev might be sitting and Juno might be standing, but Juno is warmth and love and home and yearning so great it brought this selfish master thief to his knees. 

Nureyev buries his face against Juno, his beloved, stubborn detective and sighs, deeply. He wraps his arms around Juno, mindful of his glasses, and squeezes. 

Juno’s fingers slide through his hair. “Rare for you to be cuddly,” Juno murmurs. “This has gotta be the cutest side of you.” 

Nureyev snorts, too sleepy to care. “Yes, I am very cute.” It comes out muffled. Juno’s laughter rumbles under his soft, warm skin. “I don’t want to let you go shower. I would be rather cold and then what would you do? With a shivering, useless master thief?” 

Juno’s fingers gather a fistful of Nureyev’s hair and tugs gently. “Fine, we’ll cuddle afterwards. I promise.” 

Nureyev shifts to look up then and grins. “Promise?” 

Juno rolls his eyes and flicks Nureyev’s forehead. “Come on, let go. I really gotta take a damn shower, I stink.” Reluctantly Nureyev releases Juno and immediately hides a yawn behind his hand. 

“Don’t fall asleep without me,” Juno says, uncharacteristically soft, and leaves to their small shared bathroom. He doesn’t close the door, as usual, but Nureyev doesn’t follow. 

Instead he prepares for bed: fluffs the pillows, pulls back the blanket, takes out Juno’s favourite sleep shirt - and coincidentally, Nureyev’s favourite sleep shirt - and bunny slippers, takes out his own favourite sleep shirt. 

Then another favourite. Then another. He runs his hand through his artfully tousled hair a few times. Maybe they could match? And piss off Vespa in the process, because she still hasn’t warmed up to either of them. And their love life seems to be just another thorn at her side. Hm. Decisions, decisions. In the end, Nureyev strips to his underwear and hums, as he waits for Juno to be done. 

Which is soon, because Juno never seems very fond of long showers: the few times Nureyev has gotten him in a bathtub, Juno had wriggled his fingers and made a face at their wrinkliness. Now Juno appears, towel around his waist, another around his neck. His curls still defy gravity, his cheeks still flush, in need of kisses. So Nureyev does so, presses his lips to warm, damp skin and grins when Juno lets out a little chuckle. 

“Take a shower,” Juno murmurs, but not before kissing Nureyev on the mouth. 

Nureyev hums, pleased. “Ah, the sight of you like this, fresh out of the shower, my dear Juno - it does things to me!” That earns him another kiss and a rather adorable scrunch of Juno’s nose. Nureyev flees to the bathroom, does his duties and his skincare routine and finally emerges to take his place at Juno’s side. 

In this case, it means he burrows himself against his beloved, smiling as Juno wraps him in a loose embrace. 

“You doing okay?” Juno murmurs, tugging Nureyev against his chest. He is wearing that good shirt, that one that is soft and worn and always smells like Juno. 

“Now that we are here, then yes,” whispers Nureyev back. He closes his eyes and nudges Juno’s other hand to his hair. 

“You’re like a cat. Without the extra eyes though,” Juno huffs but begins caressing Nureyev’s hair. “And I’ve seen everything there is to see about you, so I can say that.” 

Nureyev hums. His tongue gets tangled around a word, a word that blooms warm in his heart. He can’t say it again. Not yet. Perhaps. “You feel good, Juno,” is what he says instead, murmurs against that soft, soft fabric and the soft rise and fall of Juno’s chest. 

“So do you, Peter. Now sleep. Okay?” 

So Nureyev does, safe as he is, home as he is. 

**Author's Note:**

> come say hello on twitter (allodole) or tumblr (captainraptures)


End file.
